Unfortunately I will be up north in San Francisco for the Forbidden Island event
or I would be going to this for sure .Looks like alot of fun.All you TC people
that live in San Diego you got it made this event is in your back yard.
Please let me know how it is with some feedback after you go, I would like
to go next year.

Can anyone share a story of the last time San Diego Choppers were INVITED to participate, when they were uncermoniously relocated after setting up to an unshaded fenced Haole concentration pen far from the festivities and instructed not to speak to the attendees?

Freaky Boutiki Carvers were asked to demo at the event several years ago but declined so I did not witnes this in person only listened with mouth agape to stories. An islander friend said this was not unlikely, that the organizations leadership seems to change yearly and is self sabotaging.

What could become a well attended cultural celebraton seems to be intentionally alienating non islanders. A Hawaiian friend insists that the organization is pretty f'd up and exclusionary.

I'd like to go but wouldn't want to be harrassed for the color of my skin or lack thereof.

I don't know who told you that horror story, Hank. I went to PIFA in '07 with the other carvers and we were all treated very well. Folks showed much interest in what we were doing. I felt absolutely NO hostility towards myself or anyone else.

My wife and I will be attending the 19th Annual Pacific Islander Festival,Saturday and Sunday, September 21 & 22 at Ski Beach, Mission Bay. I spoke to a couple of vendors that have sold there the last couple of years and they said it is certainly worth going to. If anyone else is going, let us know and maybe we can meet up.